Faith: Praise Always

When bad things happen, I think we can be very quick to question God and wonder where He was during those terrible moments and why and how could he let these things happen?

Over the years I have said this about my life and the world, and I have also heard other people say it as well:

Why Lord?

Why me?

Why them?

What did I do to deserve this?

Why could you the innocent suffer?

I am not the only one to have uttered these questions in times of despair, they were also asked by people in the Bible as well – just look at the Psalms, David questions God a lot and wonders why God has abandoned him and not helping him in his times of need.

“O Lord, why do you stand so far away?

Why do you hide when I’m in trouble?”

Psalm 10 v 1

“O Lord, how long will you forget me?

Forever?

How long will you look the other way?”

Psalm 13 v 1

David wasn’t the only one who questioned God, the people of Israel doubted and questioned God when he was rescuing them from the Egyptians and Slavery (Exodus 13-14)

Abraham also doubted and questioned God, as did Jonah, as did many others in both the Old and the New Testament.  Doubts, questions about God, His existence and His power. After Jesus died and rose again from the dead, Thomas doubted that the resurrection actually happened, he did not have faith in Jesus - John 20 v 24-27

We can be very quick to doubt God, to question Him in the bad times. But when things do go right for us, do we actually take the time to praise God and thank Him.  Do we thank God when he answers our prayers? Or just get annoyed when some of our prayers go unanswered or answered differently from the way we want them to be.

We are quick to judge and slow to praise and give thanks.  But we do need to do this, we need to praise God in the good times and in the bad times.

We will never know why things happen and that will be a mystery all the time – we do not need to know the answers to everything, we just need to believe, trust, praise and have faith in God. Though I know this can be hard as we are only human!

When the Israelite's were delivered from the Egyptians and slavery, they sang a song of praise (Exodus 15).  Mary praised God in song (Luke 7) after  the  Angel Gabriel visited her and told she would give birth to the Son of God.  And in the middle of his questions and belief that God had forsaken him, David also praised God with his Psalms.

“I will praise the Lord at all times

I will constantly speak his praises”

(Psalm 34 v 1)

“I will praise you as long as I live,

Lifting up my hands to you in power”

Psalm 63 v 4

David thanks God

“I will exalt you Lord, for you rescued me

You refused to let my enemies triumph over me

O Lord my God I cried for your help,

And you restored my health”

Psalm 30 v 1 & 2

I know I need to be more thankful to God and praise him and be less quick to judge and doubt.  It is good to be thankful during the bad times as well as the good times. As it says in James 1 vs 2 – 3 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For your know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow”

In the testing times, stop and think about what God has done for you in the past and also for others – He delivered the Israelite's from slavery in Exodus and by His death on the cross He delivered us all from sin.